Burial In Veterans’ Cemetery

A reader writes:

I was born Catholic many years ago and remain faithfully practicing. I am a WW2 veteran – USCG. What is the correct thinking about burial in a county veterans cemetery? (unhallowed ground?)

I find my self reading your blog again and again. Thank you for it.

Thank you, sir! Always glad to have a member of the Greatest Generation reading! Y’all did a huge service for the world! One of my grandfathers was also in the Coast Guard in WWII, down in the Gulf of Mexico where Nazi subs were prowling.

I hope it’s a lot of years yet before you need to make use of this info, but it is permitted for you to be buried in a veterans’ cermetery. The Code of Canon Law provides that:

Canon  1240

§1. Where possible, the Church is to have its own cemeteries or at least areas in civil cemeteries that are designated for the deceased members of the faithful and properly blessed.

§2. If this cannot be achieved, however, then individual graves are to be properly blessed.

So: The veterans’ cemetery you’re thinking about may already have a section that has been set aside and blessed for Catholics, or your own grave could be blessed (before or after the interment, according to my understanding).

Like I said, though: Here’s hoping it a long time before that’s necessary. I’ll say a prayer to that end and encourage others to do so as well.

Hope you’ll keep visiting the blog!

20

My Favorite Towns!

When I travel, I sometimes encounter towns with the most wonderful names.

Two of these are Yeehaw Junction, Florida and Cut’N Shoot, Texas.

I first encountered Yeehaw Junction when I was on my way to the first Catholic Answers cruise, which was leaving from South Florida. I was tooling down the highway when I happened to find myself in Yeehaw Junction, which is this little . . . junction . . . near Orlando where they have some stores where they sell various and sundries, including postcards with the town name (and pictures of rambunctious cartoon mules on them).

Hope I get to go back there sometime and pick up some postcards!

I encountered Cut’N Shoot when I was on a road trip all over the Southwest last summer. Though I’ve spent a lot of time in Houston (where my mom’s people lived for so long and where all my aunts and uncles still live), but I normally come into the city from a north easterly direction, driving down from the family ranch in Deep East Texas. This summer, though, happenstance took me on a detour to enter Houston from a more northerly direction, and in the process I found myself in Cut’N Shoot.

Gotta love a town with a name like that!

Despite it being in Texas, though, the town’s name doesn’t have anything (directly) to do with knives or guns.

According to the Handbook of Texas Online:

It was apparently named after a 1912 community confrontation that almost led to violence. According to the different versions of the story, the dispute was either over the design of a new steeple for the town’s only church, the issue of who should be allowed to preach there, or conflicting land claims among church members. A small boy at the scene reportedly declared, "I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!" The boy’s phrase apparently remained in residents’ minds and was eventually adopted as the town’s name.

So, in the best Hee-Haw tradition, let’s salute these two towns for their great countrified names!

ALL: Saaaaaaa-lute!!!

MORE ON YEEHAW JUNCTION.

MORE ON CUT N’ SHOOT.

What To Do About Grave Liturgical Abuses

A reader writes:

We went to a church where the priest has the entire congregation say the eucharistic prayer along with him.

We know that this is not right but not sure if we should do anything about it other than not attend that church.

One other thing is -Can a non-catholic receive Communion if they believe that it is the body and blood of Christ?  This happens often in the same church.

Let’s answer the second question first: As I indicated in the previous blog post, there are some situations in which non-Catholics can receive Communion in the Catholic Church. In that post, I addressed the situation of an Eastern Christian who does not have full communion with the Catholic Church. The conditions for such Christians receiving Communion are fairly broad. However, they are much stricter with Protestants. Here is what the Code of Canon Law says in their regard:
Canon 844

§4. If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

As you can see, the conditions are much more strict, requiring danger of death or other grave necessity just for openers. Therefore, if there is indiscriminate distribution of Communion to non-Catholics in that parish, a very grave liturgical abuse is being committed. In Redemptionis Sacramentum the Holy See was emphatic about this matter:

[85.] Catholic ministers licitly administer the Sacraments only to the Catholic faithful, who likewise receive them licitly only from Catholic ministers, except for those situations for which provision is made in can. 844 §§ 2,3, and 4, and can. 861 § 2. In addition, the conditions comprising can. 844 § 4, from which no dispensation can be given, cannot be separated; thus, it is necessary that all of these conditions be present together.

[83.] It is certainly best that all who are participating in the celebration of Holy Mass with the necessary dispositions should receive Communion. Nevertheless, it sometimes happens that Christ’s faithful approach the altar as a group indiscriminately. It pertains to the Pastors prudently and firmly to correct such an abuse.

The Holy See has also been most firm regarding the recitation of the Eucharistic Prayer. Redemptionis Sacramentum also states:
[52.] The proclamation of the Eucharistic Prayer, which by its very nature is the climax of the whole celebration, is proper to the Priest by virtue of his Ordination. It is therefore an abuse to proffer it in such a way that some parts of the Eucharistic Prayer are recited by a Deacon, a lay minister, or by an individual member of the faithful, or by all members of the faithful together. The Eucharistic Prayer, then, is to be recited by the Priest alone in full.

As to what to do regarding the abuses you witnessed, it is a judgment call. It depends on your relationship to the parish and your ability to bring about change in it. As a general rule, one would want to start with the individual responsible for these abuses (principally the pastor of the parish) and work one’s way up the chain of command from him to the bishop to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The latter, should appeal to them be necessary, is inclined these days not only to take a very dim view of such actions but to actually take steps to correct them.

If you do take action, be sure to build a paper trail with dates and times and, to the extent possible, names: Who did what, where, and when. Specific reports get action taken on them more than vague allegations.

For detailed practical information on how to deal with liturgical abuses and to discern whether action should be taken, see chapter 12 of my book MASS CONFUSION.

Eastern Non-Catholics & Communion

A reader writes:

Hello!

I was baptized at an Armenian Apostolic Church in Michigan. Can I take Communion in the Catholic Church? Thanks!

Here is what the Code of Canon Law says about the matter:

Canon 844 §3.

Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.

So, as a baptized member of an Eastern Church (Armenian Apostolic), if you seek Communion on your own accord and are properly disposed (for example, you have been to confession since your last mortal sin, you have fasted for an hour before Communion time), canon law permits you to receive Communion in the Catholic Church.

I should note that the above quotation is from the Code of Canon Law, which governs churches belonging to the Latin rite of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Catholic churches (e.g., Maronites, Melkites, Chaldeans) are governed by a different work, called the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO). Its provisions on this matter are identical-down-to-the-word to the Code of Canon Law (the canon number is CCEO 671 §3). Therefore, the same rules would apply to your receiving Communion in an Eastern Catholic parish or a Latin rite Catholic parish.

Eastern Non-Catholics & Communion

A reader writes:

Hello!

I was baptized at an Armenian Apostolic Church in Michigan. Can I take Communion in the Catholic Church? Thanks!

Here is what the Code of Canon Law says about the matter:

Canon 844 §3.

Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.

So, as a baptized member of an Eastern Church (Armenian Apostolic), if you seek Communion on your own accord and are properly disposed (for example, you have been to confession since your last mortal sin, you have fasted for an hour before Communion time), canon law permits you to receive Communion in the Catholic Church.

I should note that the above quotation is from the Code of Canon Law, which governs churches belonging to the Latin rite of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Catholic churches (e.g., Maronites, Melkites, Chaldeans) are governed by a different work, called the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO). Its provisions on this matter are identical-down-to-the-word to the Code of Canon Law (the canon number is CCEO 671 §3). Therefore, the same rules would apply to your receiving Communion in an Eastern Catholic parish or a Latin rite Catholic parish.

Mel's Next Film

What do you do for an encore if you’ve made The Passion of the Christ?

I read one interview where Mel Gibson talked about making a film version of the books of Maccabees. (Lotsa blood n’ gut in that saga.)

But now a British magazine is reporting that Mel’s next film is slated to be about

THE THIRD SECRET OF FATIMA.

Specifically: It is reported to be an adaption of the novel Stealing from Angels, which came out late last year. The novel is a fictionalized account of a man from New York who gets swept up in European intrigue and comes into contact with the Third Secret and the assassination attempt on John Paul II’s life back in 1981 (presumably the novel is set back then).

In-teresting. Could be a good movie. Mel might still changes his plans, though, (or the report might be wrong) but this sounds like it could be both right up his alley and a commercial success (though not on the same level as TPOTC).

GET THE STORY. (Cowboy hat tip to the reader who sent this.)

Want spoilers for the movie?

GET THE BOOK. (Caveat emptor: I haven’t read it.)

Mel’s Next Film

What do you do for an encore if you’ve made The Passion of the Christ?

I read one interview where Mel Gibson talked about making a film version of the books of Maccabees. (Lotsa blood n’ gut in that saga.)

But now a British magazine is reporting that Mel’s next film is slated to be about

THE THIRD SECRET OF FATIMA.

Specifically: It is reported to be an adaption of the novel Stealing from Angels, which came out late last year. The novel is a fictionalized account of a man from New York who gets swept up in European intrigue and comes into contact with the Third Secret and the assassination attempt on John Paul II’s life back in 1981 (presumably the novel is set back then).

In-teresting. Could be a good movie. Mel might still changes his plans, though, (or the report might be wrong) but this sounds like it could be both right up his alley and a commercial success (though not on the same level as TPOTC).

GET THE STORY. (Cowboy hat tip to the reader who sent this.)

Want spoilers for the movie?

GET THE BOOK. (Caveat emptor: I haven’t read it.)

Texas Independence Day!!!

Bonnieblue_2 Texas_state_flag_2

YEEEEEEE-HAW!!!

This here is Texas Independence Day!

On March 2, 1836, the Republic of Texas declared its indepencence from Mexico at Washington-on-the-Brazos! (The Brazos is a river, y’all.)

Just over two months later, Mexico recognized Texas’ independence in the Treaty of Velasco.

The original flag of Texas was the Bonnie Blue Flag (left). It was later replaced with the current flag (right). The presence of a single star on these flags is why Texas is known as "the Lone Star state."

The Texas Declaration of Independence was signed 169 years ago today by both Anglo-Texicans and Tejanos to end their perceived oppression by the Mexican central government of the day.

READ THE TEXAS DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

BTW, note that one of the charges against the Mexican government was that it wished to inflict upon Texans that scourge of all mankind: gun control!

It [the Mexican government] has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments.

Asking Texans to give up their guns? What did they expect to happen?

(No dissin’ Texas in the comments box: DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS!)

How Good *AIN'T* Your State Government?

 

(Click to enlarge.)

My state-of-residence (California) got a C-, tied for worst in the nation!

YEE-HAW!!!

More a-that good ol’ Californazi governmental inefficiency!

It gets even better when you break it down by the categories that are averaged to get the overall figure:

  • California’s ability to manage it’s money? A BIG, FAT D! (Shoulda been a F!)
  • California’s ability to manage its state employees? C-.
  • California’s infrastructure? C. (Yeah, okay. CalTrans does keep the roads in good order compared to other states. Hear me, Pennsylvania? Yeah, New Jersey, I see you hanging your head in shame.)
  • California’s use of information? C. (They have poor strategic planning, but what info there is can be easily downloaded by a citizen from the Internet.)

It all adds up to a C-, and that’s being generous to my mind.

Take that, California!

These grades, incidentally, are produced by some folks who call themselves the Government Performance Project. I don’t know much about them, but as long as they’re pointing out the problems with California’s state government, they gotta be on the side of the angels.

FIND OUT YOUR STATE’S RANKINGS.

(Cowboy hat tip: Southern Appeal.)